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01 September 2009

Deposit Down, Thanks David (at Reed's Trailers)

The main news is that I went to Reed's Trailers and ordered the trailer that I will (as I see it at this point!) plan to build my house on.

I can't express enough how much I appreciate the advice of builders in this area who are sharing their knowledge from years of experience with me. My parents neighbor Eric, and Ken & Micah Sawyer have stood and provided invaluable feedback. BIG THANKS all around. I also am very grateful to meet Greg, another skilled builder, who is also building a house on a trailer. We're close on the map, so going over plans together is fruitful. I also want to mention here how lucky I've been to meet up with other small house builders: Dee Williams and KT Anderson in Portland showed me the latest on the office on a trailer they're building and were completely awesome people. Just great, open, the best kind of builders. I'd also like to thank Jay Shafer from Tumbleweed houses for looking over my plans and sharing his input. I'm so grateful for all the work he's done which has laid the track for others (like me, Greg, maybe you?) to come to a solution of sorts in regards to affordable housing. And every other conversation I have with anyone open to listening never fails to tip me in some sneaky way.

I ended up choosing to get the trailer with fenders, for weather protection when I'm on the road. I'll build around them. The tires are fine. 7-prong fine. Things seem fine and good. Can't quite swallow that after all my time considering and buying a used trailer I've decided to go with a new one. Nevertheless, that's the decision I've now decided upon. I must say the mark down in price for solid used trailers was surprisingly low in my experience over the last few months. So new ball bearings we go!

After putting a deposit on the trailer, I went over with another Greg to a redwood barn I saw posted on Craigslist freestuff. The landowner has had 25 people respond, but perhaps we made an impact on her (by the end of the conversation she was bringing up her role in the Vagina Monologues), in which case, I'll have a full few weeks dismantling this pretty big barn. Greg knows what he's doing, I don't. He's taken apart a whole barn on his own. Lots of redwood, beautiful old siding. We'll see if we "get the gig."

My parents return from their hike in Yosemite tonight. I plan on moving back in with them in the middle of September to focus on building this house. Still can't decide what to do for insulation, nothing sits quite right yet between the head and the heart.

Lots of research remains on off-grid systems.I tested the oven/stove out tonight with propane. Tea will be made!